Beyond confused about coins and trackables

January 7, 2011

I am beyond worried asking all of this on this forum. I'm almost sure someone is going to do their best to make me feel like a complete idiot. I already searched for a "help a new person' post, and the few I found irked me because the new person was treated like a jerk. I know all of you that have 7000 posts here in the forum have probably found just that many caches too and feel you have the right to look down on someone who is just getting started, but I'm sorry I don't feel that way. So if you decide to respond, please do so with a kind attitude, and not a "I'm going to put this idiot straight" attitude, PLEASE.

2.8k · January 7, 2011

Your so worried about being made a fool that you forgot to ask your question. So what is it you want to know?

2.2k · January 7, 2011

Don't worry, this sub-forum is typically nicer than the General Section.

What do you want to know?

8.8k · January 7, 2011

Welcome to the kinder, gentler forums.

At the top of the Travel Bug forums and the Geocoin forums are pinned threads with tons of info. You can start there. In my signature is a link to the Groundspeak Knowledge Books. Those should all help you immensely! We were all new at this once. You have to start somewhere, and you've come the right place. Most geocoiners will be very happy to help you with answers. Just ask.

Happy caching!

3.1k · January 7, 2011

Geocoins come in 2 flavors - non-trackable and trackable (more on that in a moment); they are commissioned by all sorts of cachers and geocoin-stores and can be about something that represents an individual, a location, and event, a country or almost anything else. Non-trackable geocoins are usually about an individual cacher (or team of cachers). In this case (where it is about an individual it is called a personal geocoin). Non-trackable geocoins do not have a unique identifying code on them. Trackable geocoins are the same as non-trackable ones except each has a unique tracking code on it. In the case of Geocaching, most tracking codes are issued by Groundspeak - the company behind geocaching.com (I think there are several other companies who do tracking codes too, but Groundspeak is by far the main one). These codes allow a geocoin, once activated, to be tracked online via the Geocaching website.

The tracking codes on a coin (called 'Tracking Number' on the website) are 6 characters long and usually start with 2 letters which can signify the company the produced them, a country, that it is for an event or and individual. The other 4 characters of the code are a random alphanumeric. Here are some examples (all bogus):

EV7G45 - would be a geocoin produced for an event

AU91GH - would be an Australian geocoin

CR364M - would be a geocoin produced by Crake Productions

You can obtain geocoins by buying them from a Geocoin store (all online), from eBay, trading with others, being gifted one or trading for an unactivated one in a cache. They come in all shapes and sizes, and in a variety of metal finishes. Most a round.

When you buy a geocoin it should either come with an activation code, or instructions on where to obtain an activation code. The Activation Code and Tracking Number are a pair and are used on the geocaching.com website to activate that geocoin. The activation creates a page for the geocoin under your geocaching.com account and makes it trackable online.

When the online page is created for the geocoin it is assigned another unique identifier - a Reference ID. This is the publicly visible identifier for your geocoin. You can post the reference number to point people to the page for your geocoin, but they will not be able to log the geocoin. To log a geocoin a person must have the Tracking Number. With this they can then log a geocoin as being retrieved (from a cache or individual) or discovered. These actions are not possible without the Tracking Number - therefore the Tracking Number should *never* be publicly posted.

Trackable items are just like geocoins except the Tracking Number is on a metal dog tag, allowing you to attach any item to the dog tag and send it travelling. Again, the dog tags act in all the same ways as a geocoin - listed on the geocaching.com website and trackable from there, need activation, and are available in most of the geocoin stores. I have one attached to my car!

If this hasn't answered the questions you had, then post them here and we will do our best.

Edited to Add:

I forgot to talk about geocoins and collecting. A lot of people collect geocoins - just like a standard coin collection, they buy geocoins and store them. Bringing them out for others to see and enjoy. Some people activate the geocoins in their collections and others do not. Where they are activated it allows them to be taken to events and for people to discover them and log them - thus getting the icon for the geocoin against their geocaching profile. (Many geocoins have unique icons which appear in you profile under Trackable Items). The difference between activating and not activating the geocoins in a collection is the discountability, but also if you ever want to sell them, then the value will generally be lower if a geocoin has been activated. Activated geocoins can have their ownership transfered between geocaching.com accounts.

Edited January 7, 2011 by keewee

1.2k · January 7, 2011

Welcome, kimchery!

I'm pretty new myself, but I'm starting to get hold of the world of trackables, and feel affectionate about it. One of the parts that I like most is how friendly people are to each other here.

Concerning info... There is LOTS of info available - yes, a sea of info is confusing too! Where to start, what's the difference between all those pinned topics, etc. Don't worry, you'll figure it out pretty soon. If I should recommend ONE link to start with, it's the one from Eartha's signature: http://support.Groundspeak.com//index.php?pg=kb.chapter&id=30

January 8, 2011

Hello KimChery and welcome to the Geocoin Forums. Although I have been doing this for a while now, I am definitely not as prolific as many others. However, one thing I can tell you for sure, and that is-you will find the people in this forum unbelievably kind, friendly, and KNOWLEDGEABLE (Just take a look at Keewee's post ) . I have learned so much from the people here and not just about Geocoins-I've actually learned how to use the forums, thanks to many who have helped me! So, don't be afraid to ask any questions here.

3.6k · January 8, 2011

Hello Kimchery and welcome to the Geocoin Forums. You are confused about Geocoins and Trackables? Checkout the FAQ section on Geocoins.... click on the link. That may help you get started and since it's on the Trackables Page (look for the second Tab above Forums on any Geocaching.com page) it's dead easy to find. You may also find other links on that page that will lead you to all sorts of information. It's a lot to wade through but if you come back to it again and again it will make more sense and your own experience will help flush out what it's trying to say.

Feel free to ask any question at all.... there are no dumb questions - only the ones that don't get asked!

Happy caching and tracking.

2.2k · January 8, 2011

Howdy, and welcome!

Keewee's given you an excellent primer and, of course, Earth's pointed you to the pinned threads and FAQs, which are all excellent sources of information.

Just to add to the confusion, one of the most confusing things that people ask about is the fact that trackable items (both Travel Bugs and geocoins) have TWO tracking numbers. Arrgh!

One of them is the actual tracking code, or serial number, and it helps to think of it as the item's "secret number". The other is a reference number. Why two numbers?

The actual tracking code -- the one on the bug or coin -- is secret as a means to ensure that only people who actually find the bug/coin (and hold it in their hands) can log that item in or out of a cache. In other words, you have to have the (secret) tracking code to "move" the item from cache to cache using the geocaching.com system. The same goes for the option to log what's called a "Discovery". Discovering an item doesn't move it, but it does cause the item's icon to show up in your own geocaching profile's list of bugs/coins found.

Without that code, the only log you can make is "Write Note", which places an entry on the bug/coin's page, but doesn't affect its mileage, its map, and doesn't put its icon in your profile.

So what about the reference number? This is a "public" number, one that lets people easily pull up the trackable's page (go to www.geocaching.com/track and type in the reference number in the "tracking number" field). That way, if you want to point people to your bug/coin, post links, etc, you can do so without giving away the precious (secret) tracking number.

Which, by the way, may lead to your bug/coin getting locked: bugs and coins aren't supposed to be moved around in the geocaching.com system (or discovered) by people who haven't actually handled them. So you can't, say, email the (secret) tracking number to all of your friends to discover it so that you can achieve some kind of "discovered" record (this has happened). But you CAN hand out the (public) reference number to all of your friends so they can check out your bug, or post links using the public reference number, without any fear of problems with Groundspeak.

I hope this makes sense--it's a confusing system but makes sense when you ask yourself "but how do I make sure that only people who've actually touched the bug/coin can move it around on the website?"

I'll close by echoing everyone else here: any other questions? Don't hesitate to ask. We'll do our best to help!

Welcome to the addiction! : )

3.1k · January 10, 2011

Heck - we didn't scare kimchery off did we?

Edited January 10, 2011 by keewee

January 18, 2011

WOW! Thanks for 9 whole replies, when, as someone pointed out.... I actually didn't ask my question yet!!!

I think I left this message open and my husband just thought I was done and hit send, or my daughter did... Because I was sure I was so busy that I never posted anything. Because I wanted to get my message across..... I know I have already made a complete coin faux-pas, and I didn't want anyone to jump on me for playing a game I didn't fully understand.

Yes, I was worried about looking like a fool because of this little problem I encountered...

I have read the FAQs, they just confused me more. Considering the tricky "You found a geocoin,... what to do with it? Keep it, pass it along." Well, who wouldn't want to keep it? Now I understand since I am at an esteemed 30 or so geocaches found (ha ha) that it is nearly impossible to find a geocoin that you can keep (FTF??? For a new person who doesn't even know how to search for new caches? I think my chances to be a FTF are pretty slim for a while..) and you look up the number and it is registered you pass it along. I've gotten past that point, but I am confused about one statement in the FAQs,.... It goes soemthing alone the lines of... if you do pick up a coincoin at a cache, leave something of equal or greater worth in its place. And coins are at least 10 dollars, so make it count!" Something like that. So, if I pass along a coin, I STILL have to leave something of its value in its place? Its not like I got to keep it... I understand the equal to or greater than in terms of swag, but that is just on another level. All the neat looking coins I have seen are MORE than 10 dollars. That info is really puzzling to me.

All of this leads to the slight predicament I am in. I came across 2 coins with my husband two weeks ago at the biggest cache we have seen yet. I understood the pass it along part by then, and was completely happy to abide by those rules. We just wanted to "discover" them (which we didn't know existed til that night.) Problem 1 comes into play.... Upon going into the website that night, I realized that the next 2 weekends would be really busy for me and my chances of finding a big enough cache to drop the coins in would be slim. (Been so busy that in this past 2 weeks we just found one cache because it was near the house of some friends who were really interested in caching and wanted to try with me.) Well, I saw that said geocache hadn't been found in 7 whole months, so I didn't log my visit. I thought, it can wait til the NEXT time I go caching since it hasn't been touched in so long, no one will find it for another 7 months probably... I'll log the visit, pass the coin along, and no one will be the wiser that the 2 coins were in my possession for 2 whole weeks.

Just my luck, later that day 2 weeks ago, 2 other cachers found the cache and logged that coins were missing, and I feel like the crown jewel thief. Worse, I found that one of them should have been traveling further west if anywhere, so now I feel obligated to go find some caches west of where I was. Or just put it back! Keep in mind, at the time, we didn't know we could jot down the trackable # and log that we "discovered" it later. (Is that what discovering means, how it works?) Otherwise, I would have probably just left them behind for someone else to move, because we don't travel outside a certain radius all that much.

So basically, I wanted to know what I should do on the log end of things once I get these coins moved. Log the visit to the cache even though someone had been there the same day as me and seemed peeved that there weren't coins left in there to move? I don't know why they would be that way in the log..... I did date and log my visit and note I took the coins on the paper log, just not online. Are you absolutely obligated to leave another trackable in the place of one you took? I left some swag without taking any! I felt that was "payment" enough for the ability to log a trackable and say hi to the owner online. And I am still very unclear if I should have left ohhhh, 30- or 40 dollars worth of swag in place of the 2 coins I still have. As per the question I asked above... Because the coins are nice... but I just don't understand that whole philosophy.

Well, that's my story. If anyone cares to help me now, please do! And THANK YOU very much to the people who did respond to this post, and also to the people who responded to me by email. I don't know how to do that, or I would thank them personally... but actually, it was they who brought it to my attention that my (what looks like, compared to the answers I got!!!) snide intro to the questions I meant to ask, but got too busy and forgot about; actually did get posted!

And P.S. Since I didn't know that message would post, some people may ask what my plan was to do about the coins since I hadn't gotten to ask in the forums? Well, I was just going to move them (within the week, hopefully by SUN) and log that I discovered them at the place I moved them to. After I got busy and forgot about posting, it just seemed like the only answer. Unless someone has another?

I didn't know this forum was different from another. I read several things in parts of this forum, and it seems if you are new, you are talked down to. So, I'm not sure how this part of the forum is nicer, but I guess that is the way it works, because everyone was nice when I did look like a complete fool!

1.4k · January 18, 2011

I'm in the lab right now in between tests.... But in short.... For the registered coins or travelbugs, you don't have to replace registered trackables. The coins yohaste supposed to replace with swag are the coins that are not yet registered on the geocaching site. Registered trackables are meantto move.... They shouldn't be inhibited by whether or not the cachet has something to trade

for it.

5.7k · January 18, 2011

I am beyond worried asking all of this on this forum. I'm almost sure someone is going to do their best to make me feel like a complete idiot. I already searched for a "help a new person' post, and the few I found irked me because the new person was treated like a jerk. I know all of you that have 7000 posts here in the forum have probably found just that many caches too and feel you have the right to look down on someone who is just getting started, but I'm sorry I don't feel that way. So if you decide to respond, please do so with a kind attitude, and not a "I'm going to put this idiot straight" attitude, PLEASE.

What would you like to know about trackables? I get treated badly in these forums also, and I will try to be respectful to you and helpful. I enjoy collecting trackables. Just send me a email if you do not feel comfortable posting in these forums. I don't like getting talked down to myself.

5.7k · January 18, 2011

Your so worried about being made a fool that you forgot to ask your question. So what is it you want to know?

Perfect example of what the OP was stating. First post, way to go.

1.2k · January 18, 2011

Hi kimchery!

Don't worry, no harm done.

You got "discovered" right: Just write down the code, leave the coin in the cache, and log it as "discovered" when you get home.

When you pick up coins from a cache, it is a good idea to retrieve them online as soon as you are able to. When you do, the coins will be marked as "in your possession", until you go online and log that you have dropped them off. Retrieving the coins online is a separate step from logging the cache online. From your post, it seems that you are familiar with visiting the coin page, where you find options for logging it.

It is usually accepted to keep coins for ca 2 weeks before placing them in another cache. There are many good reasons why you might have to keep one a bit longer. Most coin owners will be very happy if you just write them a message that you have the coin and will drop it when an illness is over or whatever.

If you're unable to go find new caches for a while, it is not a problem to drop the coin in a cache that you already found, i.e. close to your home. Since you've already found that cache, you should log your cache visit with "write note" instead of "found it".

Concerning travel goals: As far as I understand, it is GREAT if you can help the coin towards its goal - but it is better to keep it moving around in the area, than letting it stay in the same cache for months. If you can't move the coin westwards, just place it in a nearby cache where the coin is safe and someone might visit pretty soon. Anything that doesn't harm the goal, is fine.

I hope I didn't confuse you too much!

Edited January 18, 2011 by mamoreb

3.1k · January 18, 2011

YAY - you're back. I was worried we'd all scared you away!

January 18, 2011

To answer the question about leaving something when you take a trackable, that is not necessary. Since the goal is to move along to another cache. Bugs and geocoins are the exception to the swag rule. But try not to hold on to them for too long. If someone was upset by not making the grab I think that may be more of an isolated thing.

I know that I am able to log grabs with my iphone so I can get them logged immediately and don't have to wait until I get home.

If you find that the goal for the coin or bug is going to a place you will be in a couple of weeks let the owner know that you are going to hold onto it a little longer since you will be heading that way soon. They are usually ok with that as well.

January 18, 2011

Ha ha, no,... mpilchfamily was kinda right, I did leave without actually asking my question,.... I understand the little raz about t6hat. I didn't mean to post that, someone else must have gotten on here and hit send, and it did pretty much make me look like a fool. I wasn't done posting. I thought I just closed the browser because I didn't have time to write the biog message that I did today. But I left it up and someone from my household got on here and clicked post without reading. Way to make an entrance, huh?

I haven't even read through all the helpful answers yet, but I just had to comment on the latest... Mamoreb, You offered me lots of alternatives that I had no idea existed. I have actually been staying away from one cache on a walking trail, not going to look for it, because I know from the logs that it would be a perfect cache to place a coin in. And I didn't want to find it prior to finding coins, because I thought it was cheating to go back to a cache after you found it. I thought the note function was JUST for... well maintenance. I know there's a maintenance function too, but I've only seen the note function used for maintenance. That is perfect, and I know of a cache that is great (that I already found) that I can put these in, and I don't have to wait for the weekend. Also, I'm really happy to hear that if I put the westward moving coin a little further east, I wont be screwing everything up. Just that bit of info I've never read in any FAQs, and it sounds pretty common sense. If you can move it a little bit out of the way vs. letting it sit somewhere where and not be moved at all for a year.....

Thanks, everyone. The truth is, I started writing that post because I did a search on the forums and all it led to were people asking questions and getting ridiculed for it. I got a little peturbed about that and immediately started writing a really mean post that I didn't mean to send at all. If I would have had a chance to type my questions, I would have probably gone back and changed or deleted my first paragraph that sounds like complete paranoia. But there are posts by new people on this forum where most of the answers were rude. That's why I had to put my disclaimer out there. Just wish I would have had a chance to sit down and finish!

2.8k · January 18, 2011

You can go back to a cache you have found to place a coin or TB in. Just don't log it as a new find. When you log your visit write a not. This will allow you to move the coin/TB from your inventory to the cache inventory. Some caches are considered TB hotels. They are located in a good area that is close to a major road, transit station or airport where people can drop off and pick up coins/TBs on there way in or out of the area. So there is no need to avoid an interesting cache.

Beyond confused about coins and trackables

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